Reform starts with understanding prison environment – Director tells Mazaruni Prison Officers

Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot, told prison officers stationed at the Mazaruni Prison that understanding the prison environment is essential for reform.
The Prison Director made this remark during his quarterly muster and general inspection of officers at the Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) location on Thursday.
Elliot stressed that managing the prison complex space requires balancing safe, orderly custody with ongoing rehabilitation. He noted that such an attitude would play a major role in delivering an effective and efficient service, not only to the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) but also to the general public.

According to the prisons Director, modern prison leadership aims to stop repeat offending (recidivism) by providing inmates with vocational skills, agricultural training, and behavioural support. He further reminded the officers of the vital role they play in the existence of the Guyana prison system.
The Director’s recent urge for officers to understand the prison environment comes months after a 26-year-old prison officer was caught with approximately 502.2 grams of suspected cannabis at the Mazaruni Prison.
The discovery was made during a morning briefing in the prison compound. The officer, of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, was searched after his bulletproof vest appeared unusually bulky.
A transparent bulky parcel containing leaves, seeds and stems, suspected to be cannabis, was subsequently found concealed inside the vest. Further enquiries led to a search of the suspect’s living quarters within the prison compound, where an additional black bulky parcel containing a transparent package with suspected cannabis was found on his bed.
The GPS is currently undergoing a major modernisation drive, backed by a $6-billion national budget allocation this year. Key efforts prioritise infrastructure expansion, the launch of an accredited mental health and correctional leadership programme with the University of Guyana (UG), and international cross-training agreements with Caribbean partners.
Back in March during the GPS Senior Officers’ Conference 2026, Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond had emphasised that correction and reform must be at the centre of efforts to modernise the organisation.
“Forgotten arm”
Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond addresses the opening of the GFS Senior Officers’ Conference 2026.
She said that for many years, correctional systems in various societies were treated as a “forgotten arm” of the justice system, where individuals were simply locked away and overlooked.
“Modern governance demands something different,” the Minister stressed, adding, “What happens inside our correctional institutions has a direct impact on what happens outside our communities.”
She further highlighted the Government’s commitment to modernising the GPS through policy reform, institutional strengthening and investments in infrastructure and human resources.
During the one-week conference, stakeholders examined several prison reform strategies to strengthen the overall correctional system.
Director Elliot had indicated that discussions will focus on areas such as technology integration, security intelligence, training and education, prisoner reintegration outcomes and legislative improvements. He added that the forum will allow officers to network with regional correctional specialists and share best practices in prison and correctional management.